Duo allegedly chased off by Windham neighbor with broom indicted over break-in

Robert Dalton, left, of Lowell, Mass., and Vietnam Dang, of Worcester, Mass., are facing burglary-related charges in Rockingham County Superior Court. (COURTESY)

BRENTWOOD — A burglary suspect who was shooed away from a home by a 64-year-old woman with a broom is now facing a robbery charge for his confrontation, according to court records.

Robert Dalton, 35, of Lowell, Mass., was indicted on a felony robbery charge, along with counts of burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary for attempting to break in to a Windham home on Feb. 21. His partner, Vietnam Dang, 34, of Worcester, Mass., was indicted on burglary, attempted burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary charges last week in Rockingham County Superior Court.

Dalton and Dang are scheduled to be arraigned on the charges in Rockingham County Superior Court on May 30.

The duo was confronted by a neighbor to the home they had broken into, according to prosecutors.

Katherine Reader, who first thought she was greeting her new neighbors, discovered that two locked doors had been broken to the home, according to police and court records. The men apparently heard her and fled, police said.

But Reader confronted Dalton in the driveway with her broom.

Dalton allegedly pushed Reader to the ground when she confronted him with a broom, according to an indictment.

Dalton backed a car out of the driveway, but hit a snow bank and got stuck, police said. That gave Reader a chance to get back to her home and call police.

Officers who responded to the scene took Dalton into custody. Dang had fled on foot before police arrived, but he was found a short time later, police said.

Dalton and Dang are each facing three Class B felonies, punishable by up to 3 ½ to 7 years in prison. They have remained free on bail.